Ms. Blackwell is presently the Director of Fellowships, Grants and International Programs at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in Washington, D.C., and is responsible for designing and providing overall direction and strategy for AAUW’s more than $3.7 million in fellowships and grant programs. She also oversees the management of domestic and international program activities, including AAUW’s partnership with CARE and the United Nations. Ms. Blackwell holds concurrent responsibility as the Principal Investigator for the National Science Foundation-sponsored National Girls Collaborative Program, an AAUW partnership with the Puget Sound Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology--working to bring together organizations committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Previously, Ms. Blackwell served for more than a decade at the Institute of International Education (IIE). She also worked professionally for many years as a staff member in the Africa Region at Peace Corps headquarters and began her international career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon.
Ms. Blackwell holds an M.A. in Education and Human Development, majoring in International Education, from the George Washington University. Her undergraduate studies were spent at Georgetown University, the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service where she received a B.S. in Foreign Service/International Affairs. She also studied at the American University in Paris, France.